Shoe last and method for providing a shoe having an improved heel rest

ABSTRACT

A shoe last and a method of using the shoe last to manufacture shoes that minimize the tendency of a wearer&#39;s foot to create increased pressure at the area of the ball of a wearer&#39;s foot are disclosed herein. The improved heel rest design relieves this pressure at the ball area of the foot by allowing the body weight to be more concentrated at the heel portion of the wearer&#39;s foot by redistributing the user&#39;s weight toward the heel portion and away from the ball of the foot.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This U.S. patent application claims priority to U.S. ProvisionalApplication No. 61/893,876 filed on Oct. 21, 2013, which is herebyincorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIGURE SELECTED FOR PUBLICATION

FIG. 4.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

1. Field of the Disclosure

The present disclosure relates generally to an apparatus for and amethod of manufacturing footwear. More specifically, this disclosurerelates to a shoe last and shoes, e.g., high-heeled shoes, manufacturedwith the shoe last that are configured to minimize or prevent thetendency of a wearer's foot to slide forward thereby creating increasedpressure at the area of the ball of a wearer's foot.

2. Description of the Related Art

Shoe-making lasts are often considered to be the most importantcomponent in the manufacture of shoes. A shoe-making last is a mold overwhich shoes are made. The shoe-making last is preferably solid andthree-dimensional. The shoe last generally dictates the shape, the size,and the fit of the shoes made thereon. When manufacturing shoes (orother footwear) the shoe last is firmly mounted on a surface, whilepieces of shoe material for the upper portion of the shoe and/or soleare placed around the last and attached together to make the shoe.

Regardless of the outer cosmetic features or styling of the shoe(s), theinterior area of any shoe is substantially a reflection of the exteriorshape of the shoe last on which it is formed. All shoes built on thesame shoe last will thus have the same interior region and dimensions,and will generally yield the same fit for a particular wearer.Consequently, the shape and configuration of the shoe-making last iscritical in order to make shoes which fit comfortably on the foot andprovide adequate support such that the shoes perform essentially as anextension of the human foot, as is typically desired.

Shoe manufacturing is a precise and sometimes tedious process. Inparticular, the shoe last must be precisely shaped, sized and/or gradedto produce properly sized and useable shoes. Importantly, conventionalshoe lasts are not casts of the feet. Rather, a conventional shoe lastis a precise and highly refined piece of equipment used in shoeproduction that is precisely measured and referenced according to thedictates of conventional last technology.

Conventionally, while a cast of a foot might be utilized for measurementpurposes to make a custom pair of shoes, a foot cast cannot function asa shoe last. A conventional shoe last has a substantially flat solesurface, an elevated heel (for high heeled shoes) and sharp anglingbetween the upper surface of the shoe last and the sole surface tocreate a sharply-angled bottom line. Because of the differences betweena human foot and a conventional shoe last, shoes made with aconventional shoe last fail to work in harmony with the human foot. Forexample, conventional lasts have sharply defined lines at the point oftransition from the flat sole surface or crown to the vertical sidewallsof the shoe last between the defined line and the last ridge human feetare not as sharply angled.

In other words, the shoe last ridge and sharply-angled contours of aconventional last only take into account generally the static shape ofthe foot, i.e., the shape of the foot when it is in one position.However, when a show is worn, the foot will undergo dynamic shapechanges when a person is walking or running. Conventional shoe lastsutilize heel curves that are overly exaggerated such that shoes formedwith the shoe lasts promote a gripping of the foot by the shoe. The heelseat of a conventional last is angled to correspond to the introductionof an elevated heel onto the sole surface. However, the heel of a humanfoot is not elevated and has no such heel pitch. In the toe region of aconventional shoe last, the toe profile decreases or recedes to thesharply defined line in the forepart of the last. In contrast to theshape of the toe region of a conventional shoe last, human toesgenerally maintain a uniform thickness throughout their length.

As such, the heel seats of conventional shoe lasts are generallyunnaturally raised to different heel elevations to accommodate the heelfor the footwear being manufactured. To accommodate the natural anddynamic shape of the human foot, the fitting of the width and the modestsloping of the conventional shoe last is configured to accommodate asloped, flat shank between the elevated heel seat and the forepart ofthe last. While the conventional last has a sloped section between theforepart and heel seat, which provides a slight transition in theconventional last, the shank area of the last still has a sharply-angledline and the sole surface at the shank is generally planar in atransverse direction to match with the flat sole surface andsharply-angled line existing in the remaining areas of the of the last.

Conventional shoe lasts are typically engineered to distribute thepressure on the foot across 100% of the bottom surface, i.e., across100% of the rigid and flat sole surface. However, the average human footis engineered to distribute such pressures across on about 75-80% of thebottom surface of the foot. Therefore, conventional shoe last technologydictates that the footwear manufactured thereon will unnaturally affectthe weight bearing and propulsion characteristics of the foot. As aresult of the shape and dimensions of conventional lasts, the shoe lastsand the shoes manufactured thereon have fallen short of the goal ofproviding footwear that work in harmony with the human foot and thatprovide adequate comfort to the wearer.

A major drawback with conventional shoe lasts is that the flat bottomsole surface dictates that a flat, rigid piece of sole material beattached to footwear upper material at the sharply-angled shoe lastline, thus producing footwear that has an excessive angled feather edge.The foot is thereby supported artificially on a stiff, flat platformeven though the human foot at rest, and particularly in motion, tends tomove toward or falls off the end of the stiff sole platform of the shoe.This increases the risk of ankle injuries. The drawbacks of thesharply-angled feather edge of a shoe made from conventional lasts areexacerbated by the elevation of the heel seat, the recession of the toe,and the unnatural forward pitch of the heel seat, thus resulting inundue pressure on the ball of the wearer's foot.

FIG. 1 depicts an example of a shoe manufactured from a conventionalshoe last, which has a heel height ∝, which may be for exampleapproximately 2 inches (or approximately 5 cm). As shown, the shoe is ona ground plane 18 from which the heel height ∝ to the heel seat 19 ismeasured. The heel seat 19 is shown to be inclined upwardly at an angle“X”, which may be approximately 12-15 degrees, relative to the groundplane 18. The shank-reinforced midsole region 15 is angled downwardlyand forwardly of the shoe from the heel seat at an angle “Y”, which maybe approximately 30 degrees, relative to the ground plane. In a toeregion or box 22 of the shoe, the great toe may be essentially parallelto the ground plane. However, the toe region or box 22 may be inclinedupwardly and forwardly by the upward and forward inclination of the toeregion at an angle “Z”, which may be between 2 and 3 degrees inclusive,relatively to the ground plane 18. As will be appreciated, aconventional high-heeled shoe such as that shown in FIG. 1 places thewearer's foot 10 essentially on an inclined plane. This urges the foot10 forward by gravity toward the toe box 22 when the wearer is standingor walking. This results in undue pressure on the ball 16 or forefoot 12regions of the foot 10, which may result in jamming of the toes 13. Suchundue pressure on the ball or forefoot regions of the foot may result ina burning sensation in these areas of the foot, and may also result infatigue and/or discomfort.

Therefore, there is a need for an improved heel rest created inhigh-heeled shoes that reduces or prevents the tendency of a wearer'sfoot to slide forward such that pressure at the area of the ball of awearer's foot is correspondingly reduced. The present disclosureprovides an improved heel rest design technology that relieves thispressure at the ball area of the foot by allowing the body weight to bemore concentrated at the heel area of the wearer's foot rather than theball of the foot. In other words, the heel rest design redistributes theuser's weight toward the heel and away from the ball of the foot, thusplacing the foot in an optimal position for high heeled shoes, andrestores balance such that wearers return to their normal stride.

Accordingly, there is a need for an improved heel rest for use in themanufacture and/or assembly of shoes, and a system and method for thesame, and more specifically an improved heel rest that responds to atleast one of the detriments noted herein with respect to theconventional heel rests used in the manufacture and/or assembly ofshoes.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

With conventional high-heeled shoes, the foot tends to slide forwardthereby creating increased pressure at the area of the ball of awearer's foot. In an aspect of the present disclosure, the heel restdisclosed herein relieves this pressure at the ball area of the foot byallowing the body weight to be more concentrated at the heel area of thewearer's foot rather than at the ball of the foot. The heel rest mayinclude a concave portion or region at the heel. In an aspect of thepresent disclosure, the heel rest design may redistribute the user'sweight toward the heel and away from the ball of the foot, therebyplacing the foot in an optimal position for high-heeled shoes andrestoring balance such that the wearer's stride is more natural.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provideda shoe last and method of using the shoe last for manufacturing of shoesfrom shoe lasts where the shoe last provides a heel rest design thatovercomes at least one of the detriments noted above.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, a shoe last for forming ashoe may include a body including a heel region including a surface anda sole surface. The sole surface may have a thickness that issubstantially uniform along its length, and may be smoothly contoured.The sole surface may include at least three distinct planar surfacesincluding a toe box portion, a heel portion, and an arch support portionpositioned therebetween. The toe box region may have a generally uniformheight to facilitate the accommodation of the toes of a foot thereinsince toes generally have a uniform thickness along their length. Thetransition between the toe box and the arch support portion may besmooth or have a curved contour therebetween such that the transitionbetween these portions does include a sharp edge or angle therebetween.The heel region and the heel portion of the sole surface may define afirst angle therebetween. The surface of the heel region and the archsupport portion may define a second angle therebetween. The surface ofthe heel portion and the arch support portion may define a third angletherebetween. The second and the third angles may be different. The heelportion of the sole surface may have a concave shape. The toe box, heel,and arch support portions may each include a surface, each of which maybe on a different, non-parallel plane. The concave shape of the heelportion of the sole may include an apex, the apex being spaced apartfrom the surface of the heel region by a distance that may be between 3and 8 millimeters inclusive, and may preferably be about 5 millimeters.The depths of the toe box and heel portions may be approximately equal,that is the toe box and heel portions may have points that theirrespective surfaces that are about equally spaced from a base plane ofthe sole surface.

The arch support region may extend from the heel portion to the toe boxportion of the sole surface. A first transverse arch may be formed onthe sole surface proximate to the toe box portion, a second transversearch may be formed on the sole surface proximate the heel portion. Thefirst and second transverse arches may smoothly transition toward thetoe box portions and the heel portions respectively in a continuouscurve free from any angled edges. The arch support portion may beconfigured as a concave region with respect to an upper portion of theshoe last.

A method of manufacturing a shoe utilizing the shoe last of the presentdisclosure is described herein. In particular, the shoe last of thepresent disclosure may be provided, and a shoe may be formed by joiningportions of the shoe around an exterior of the body of the shoe last.The shoe that is formed with the last of the present disclosure mayinclude a sole surface that corresponds to the shape and configurationof the last of the present disclosure. In particular, the shoe mayinclude a sole surface that is free from angled edges and includes a toebox portion, a heel portion, and an arch support portion, and whereinthe heel portion defines a convex shape that corresponds to theconcavity of the heel portion of the sole surface of the shoe last. Whenworn the shoe may concentrate body weight at the heel portion of theshoe. The shoe may be configured to accommodate a foot having a heel anda ball, and when worn may be configured to redistribute pressure awayfrom the ball of the foot toward the heel of the foot.

According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, there isprovided a shoe last employing a heel rest portion positionedsubstantially parallel with the ground surface so as to create a shoehaving a cup-shaped heel rest for positioning a wearer's heelsubstantially parallel to the ground surface when stationary.

According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, there isprovided a shoe product manufactured by a method employing the shoe lastdesign described herein.

In a further embodiment of the present disclosure, a shoe last mayprovide or create a heel rest in a shoe having a cup-shaped surface forreceiving a heel 21 of a wearer of the shoe such that the pressure onthe ball of a wearer's foot is proportionally redistributed to the heelof the wearer.

Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a shoe last forproviding or creating a heel rest in a shoe positioned at an anglesubstantially parallel with the ground surface so as to redistribute thepressure on the ball of a wearer's foot to the heel of the wearer.

It is further an objective of the disclosure to provide a shoe last formass-manufacturing shoes which is more in harmony with the human foot,both at rest and in motion.

It is still further an objective of the present disclosure to createshoes, preferably high-heeled shoes, which are biomechanically more inharmony with the shape of the human foot to reduce and eliminate theshortcomings of shoes produced with conventional lasts.

An aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a shoe last which maybe readily sized and graded to produce shoes for a large variety ofwearers.

In an aspect of the present disclosure, shoes may be manufactured withthe shoe last of the present disclosure that incorporate the uniquedesign of the disclosure shoe last, thereby providing comfort,stability, and proper weight distribution to a wearer.

These and other embodiments, aspects, features and advantages of thepresent disclosure will become apparent from the following descriptionread in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which likereference numerals designate the same elements.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

By way of description only, embodiments of the present disclosure aredescribed with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of a conventionalhigh-heeled shoe in accordance with the prior art;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of a schematic representation of anotherconventional high-heeled shoe in accordance with the prior art;

FIG. 3 is a exploded side elevation perspective view of the shoe of FIG.2;

FIG. 4 is a left side elevation perspective view of a schematicrepresentation of a shoe last for a high-heeled shoe in accordance witha preferred embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 is a right side elevation perspective view of the shoe of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a rear perspective elevation view of the shoe of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a right side elevation view of the shoe of FIG. 4 furtherdepicting a conforming shoe sole for shaping according to the shoe lastbottom surface;

FIG. 8 shows a side perspective view of a high heel shoe comprising aheel rest according to the present disclosure further showing a wearer'sfoot positioned therein and the redistribution of pressure from the ballof the wearer's foot to the heel portion of the wearer's foot; and

FIG. 9 shows a perspective front elevation view of another high heelshoe comprising a heel rest according to the present disclosure furthershowing a wearer's foot positioned therein and the redistribution ofpressure from the ball of the wearer's foot to the heel portion of thewearer's foot.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described withreference to the appended figures in which like reference numeralsdesignate identical, similar or corresponding elements in each of theseveral views. In the following description, well-known functions orconstructions are not described in detail to avoid obscuring the presentdisclosure in unnecessary detail. The drawings are not intended to limitthe scope of this invention, which is set forth with particularity inthe claims as appended or as subsequently amended, but merely to clarifyand exemplify the invention. It is to be understood that the techniques,systems, compositions and operating structures in accordance with thepresent disclosure may be embodied in a wide variety of sizes, shapes,forms and modes, some of which may be quite different from those in thedisclosed embodiment. Consequently, the specific structural andfunctional details disclosed herein are merely representative, yet inthat regard, they are deemed to afford the best embodiment for purposesof disclosure and to provide a basis for the claims herein which definethe scope of the present disclosure. It is also to be understood thatthe drawings are in simplified form and are not to precise scale. Forpurposes of convenience and clarity only, directional terms, such astop, bottom, up, down, over, above, below, etc., or motional terms, suchas forward, back, sideways, transverse, etc. may be used with respect tothe drawings. These and similar directional terms should not beconstrued to limit the scope of the disclosure in any manner.

As is known in the industry, conventional high-heeled shoes compriseseveral components and/or layers. As noted in FIGS. 1-3, which depictconventional high-heeled shoes 20, conventional shoes 20 generallycomprise a toe box 22, a sole 28, an arch support 30, a shoe heel 36,and a heel counter 38 for supporting the back part of a wearer's heel21. Generally, the heel 36 is connected to an end of the arch support 30and includes a heel breast 34 and top lift 32. The heel 36 is typicallyconnected to the sole 28 and footbed 44 via conventional connectors 48,which may be screws, pins, nails, and the like. Other features ofhigh-heeled shoes may include a top line throat 42 and quarter 40 foradded support around the wearer's foot and ankle area. Inside the shoeat or near the toe box 22, and sometimes extending to the region of theheel 36, may be various welt and/or insole layers 24, 26, 46 for addedsupport and comfort to the bottom surface of a wearer's foot. Suchconventional high-heeled shoes 20 are conventionally manufacturedthrough the use of molded shoe lasts of the type discussed herein. It isto be understood that the figures are not drawn to scale. For example,in the toe region or toe box 22 of a conventional shoe last, especiallyfor high-heeled shoes, the toe profile decreases or recedes to thesharply defined line in the forepart of the last.

For example, turning to FIGS. 4-7, shown are elevated perspective viewsof a shoe last 60 for a high-heeled shoe in accordance with a preferredembodiment of the present disclosure. As depicted, shoe last 60 mayinclude a rigid body having a toe portion 64 and a heel portion 62. Theshoe last body may be viewed as being separated by a line which definesa top and a bottom portion of the last body. The parting line may bedefined as a line which connects all of the outermost points of the shoelast body around the last body when the last 60 is in a primary positionor upright position on a horizontal ground surface as illustrated inFIGS. 4-7.

Along the bottom region of the shoe last 60, a toe portion 64 and heelportion 62 are connected by a generally smooth sole surface 72 (at theregion that corresponds with the ball and toes of the foot) and 66 (atthe region that corresponds with the arch of the foot) which iscontoured and shaped in accordance with the principles of the presentdisclosure to produce a shoe last which is different from conventionallasts both in shape and operation. In the top surface of the last, asmooth and shaped upper surface connects the toe box 64 with the heelportion 62 on their upper sides. According to the teachings of thedisclosure, the rigid shoe last body can be formed of any appropriatesolid material such as, for example, wood or plastic. The shoe last bodyin conjunction with known shoe-making equipment and techniques toproduce shoes which are intended to be biomechanically in harmony withthe human foot. Shoe last 60 in accordance with the disclosure isprimarily for the mass-production of shoes for a variety of differentwearers of high-heeled shoes, however, custom footwear might also bemade utilizing shoe last 60 by persons skilled in the art.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the bottom surface of the shoe last 60generally comprises three defined planar surfaces, notably the toeregion 72, the arch region 66 and the heel region 62. The sole surfacesincluding the arch region 66 and the toe region 72 of the shoe last body60 comprise a series of cooperating arches. Shoes that are formed usingthe last body 60 have a shape that corresponds to the cooperating archesformed by the arch region 66 and the toe region 72 of the sole surface.Such a shape facilitates the proper distribution of a wearer's weightsuch that pressure applied to the surfaces of the wearer's footincluding its ball and heel regions are also properly distributed. Thesole surface 66 at the arch region may define an arch that generallyextends along the length of the shoe last 60 and connect the heel region62 with toe region 72 of the toe box 64 along the last body.

The inner and outer sides of the shoe last 60 are connected across thesole surfaces 66, 72 by a forward transverse arch which extends acrossthe last body proximate the toe box 64 of the body, slightly rearwardlyof a majority of the toe portion, and proximate the heel region 62,slightly forwardly thereof. The forward transverse arch preferably makesa smooth transition between the inner longitudinal arch and the outerlongitudinal arch and generally connects the toe box 64 with the heelregion 62.

The last body 60 may further comprise a rearward transverse arch, whichextends across the regions or portions 66 and 72 of the sole surfaceproximate the heel portion 62 and generally forward of a majority of theheel portion. The rearward transverse arch may also connect thelongitudinal arches and provide a smooth transition and connectionbetween the rearward sections of the inner and outer longitudinalarches. Similar to the longitudinal arches, the transverse arches have afinite width and essentially form arch areas. The two longitudinalarches and two transverse arches on regions or portions 66 and 72 of thesole surface cooperate such that shoes manufactured using shoe last 60spreads weight bearing and propulsion forces more naturally over thesole surface 66, 72 as described in greater detail below. The solesurface 66, 72 of the shoe last according to the disclosure may besmoothly contoured to include the arches in accordance with theprinciples of the present disclosure to allow for the formation of asmoothly contoured shoe sole 76 (see FIG. 7). Moreover, as shown inFIGS. 4-6, the shoe last 60 may further comprise a curved or cup-shapedheel rest 68, which drastically deviates from a conventional last thatinstead has flattened sole surfaces. Also as shown in FIGS. 4-6, theshoe last 60 may include a novel concave, curved or cup-shaped heelportion or heel rest region 68.

As previously discussed, conventional shoe last technology is driven bya flattened sole surface, including the heel region, and by referencepoints and dimensions, which are referenced to such a surface.Additionally, conventional shoe last technology relies on and is drivenby heel surfaces positioned at an elevated angle with respect to theground surface such that its angle is more closely in line with theangle of the arch region of a shoe. However, the existence of aflattened sole surface creates a sharply-angled and rigid line betweensurfaces of the shoe sole (i.e., the toe region 72, the arch region 66and the heel region 62).

Unlike conventional shoe lasts, the shoe last 60 may comprise agenerally smooth and continuous transition between each of these regionsof the shoe sole surface much more like the bottom surface of a wearer'sfoot. As more clearly illustrated in FIGS. 4-5, the smooth transitionbetween regions of the sole surface provides shoe last 60, which is freefrom a sharp and rigid last bottom line. The upper surface may curvecontinuously to a defined upper surface centerline, while all portionson the smooth and contoured sole surface may be curved toward a definedsole surface centerline.

Shoes manufactured utilizing the shoe last 60 would incorporate theunique and inventive contour sole surface and yields shoes lackingsharply angled edges between sole surface regions as well as around theperiphery of the shoe last 60. Accordingly, shoes manufactured utilizingthe shoe last 60 are more comfortable to the human wearer thantraditional footwear as the inside cavity of the shoes adopts the uniqueand inventive shape of shoe last 60. As such, shoe last 60 producesshoes, which work in harmony with the human foot to provide properweight distribution and pressure. In contrast to shoes manufacturedutilizing the shoe last 60, shoes manufactured utilizing a conventionallast with a flat heel surface and sharply defined angle lines provide aflat, rigid shoe sole and a construction that produces unnatural anduncomfortable pressures on the wearer's foot. Also, the shoesmanufactured utilizing conventional lasts unnaturally distributesexcessive pressures applied through the shoe sole to the foot of thewearer at the ball region of the wearer's foot. The novel heel restdesign described herein redistributes such pressures more evenly betweenthe heel region and the ball region of the wearer's foot for a morenatural and comfortable fit.

Notably, with high-heeled shoes, as the foot tends to slide forwardincreased pressure is created at the area of the ball of a wearer'sfoot. The heel rest 68 of the shoe last 60 is configured to relieve suchpressure at the ball area of the foot by redistributing the body weightin a direction toward the heel region 62 as depicted by arrow 80 (seeFIGS. 8-9) so as to be more concentrated at the heel area 62 within thecounter 84 and on the heel 86 (as depicted by arrow 78) of the wearer'sfoot rather than the ball of the foot.

The design of a heel rest design of a shoe is a process or method thatutilizes the shoe last 60, which as discussed hereinabove may include:(a) heel region 68 that has both a different angle 70 with respect tothe arch region 66 as compared to the heel region 62; and (b) a concaveheel rest portion 68 at the heel to provide the modified angle 70 forthe heel of a wearer of a shoe manufactured with the shoe last 60. Angle70 (FIG. 7) may result from a change in elevation of the heel restportion 68 by a distance in the range of 3-8 millimeters inclusive, andmay preferably be approximately 5 millimeters. As such, the heel restdesign may redistribute the user's weight toward the heel and away fromthe ball of the foot, thereby placing the foot in an optimal positionfor high-heeled shoes, and restoring balance such that wearers return totheir normal stride.

The shoe last 60 according to the disclosure has a unique shape and acontoured sole surface. The shoe last 60 projects different effectivecross-sectional areas onto a base plane from different heights abovethat base plane. At any given horizontal plane above the horizontal baseplane, the shoe last 60 may have a defined cross-sectional area. With aplurality of unique arches and defined contact points at theintersection of the arches, the shoe last 60 may exhibit cross-sectionalareas which vary and generally increase at an increasing distance fromthe base plane. The maximum cumulative horizontal cross-sectional areaprojected onto the base plane may thus be generally defined by theoutwardmost points on the shoe last body, and more specifically definedby the line connecting those points. The cumulative horizontalcross-sectional area may be projected onto the base plane by the regionsor portions 66 and 72 of the sole surface of the shoe last body,especially the heel rest region 68, and may further define the contouredshape of the shoe last 60 which differs from the conventional shape ofprior art shoe lasts.

As depicted in the figures, a shoe manufactured using the shoe last 60according to the disclosure may include a toe portion 88 and a contouror heel portion 84 joined by a continuous sole 90, 92 and supported by aheel member 86. A variety of aesthetic design or decorative features maybe employed to enhance the visual appearance of such shoes. Inaccordance with the disclosure, shoe sole 76 may be formed of anysuitable material, including, for example, a polyvinyl chloride (PVC)construction or may be constructed from any suitable material that iseither organic (leather/rubber) or man-made (PVC and related elastomericmaterials). The material forming the shoe sole 76 may be pliable, i.e.,non-rigid, such that the shoe sole 76 may bend in response to thewearer's movement such that impact on the bottom of the foot isminimized or reduced. Toe portion 88 may include an insole stitchedtherein, and upper elements of the shoe may be joined or connected byupper members and/or decorative stitching to provide comfort andaesthetic appeal. Shoe sole 76 may also include tread portions for addedgrip during walking.

Optionally, a stiffening member or insole support board (not shown) mayspan the width of shoe sole 76 to provide stiffening support and preventunintended distortion of toe box 88 during use. A foam cushion (notshown) may also be positioned on insole support board to furtherincrease user comfort. An insole member (not shown), often constructedof natural or synthetic leather, may also be positioned on the foamcushion. An adhesive glue compatible with PVC based sole 88 may be usedbetween the layers of the shoe construct to secure them to one anotherand to shoe sole 90, 92. In this way, the members are secured and theassembled shoe is provided in a suitable form for consumer use. Duringmanufacture of a shoe employing this method, toe box 88 of the shoe ispreferably stitched to the sole 76 via sole lip members and/orstitchings. After stitching the toe portion in this manner, glue oradhesive is applied along the interface between sole lip members andsole portion 88, and the toe portion is reversed or “turned”right-side-out. In alternative methods, glue may be applied afterstitching and turning the toe portion right-side-out.

Moreover, heel portion 68 of the shoe manufactured using shoe last 60according to the disclosure is more fully described. In thisconstruction, heel rest 68 is created having a curved or concavedimension with a varying depth from zero to upwards of 5 millimeters atits center region for positioning of the wearer's heel for balance andcomfort. When viewed cross-sectionally in a longitudinal direction(defined as the direction from the toe toward the heel and vice versa),the heel rest 68 at its lowermost point is upwards of about 5millimeters below the lowermost point of a standard flattened heelsurface for a heeled shoe. Similarly, When viewed cross-sectionally in alatitudinal direction (defined as the side to side direction at eitherthe toe or heel region), the heel rest 68 at its lowermost point is alsoupwards of about 5 millimeters below the lowermost point of a standardflattened heel surface for a heeled shoe.

The heel rest design technology according to the disclosure as describedhereinabove relieves the excessive pressure provided at the ball area ofthe foot in convention shoes by allowing the body weight to be moreappropriately shifted to the heel area 68 of the wearer's foot. Asdescribed herein, creation of the heel rest 68 consists of a differentangle at the end of the arch and a concave portion or region at theheel. Accordingly, the novel heel rest 68 redistributes the user'sweight toward the heel and away from the ball of the foot, thus placingthe foot in an optimal position for high heeled shoes, and restoresbalance such that wearers return to their normal stride.

In the claims, means or step-plus-function clauses are intended to coverthe structures described or suggested herein as performing the recitedfunction and not only structural equivalents but also equivalentstructures. Thus, for example, although a nail, a screw, and a bolt maynot be structural equivalents in that a nail relies on friction betweena wooden part and a cylindrical surface, a screw's helical surfacepositively engages the wooden part, and a bolt's head and nut compressopposite sides of a wooden part, in the environment of fastening woodenpails, a nail, a screw, and a bolt may be readily understood by thoseskilled in the art as equivalent structures.

Having described at least one of the preferred embodiments of thepresent disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is tobe understood that such embodiments are merely exemplary and that thedisclosure is not limited to those precise embodiments, and that variouschanges, modifications, and adaptations may be effected therein by oneskilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of thedisclosure as defined in the appended claims. The scope of thedisclosure, therefore, shall be defined solely by the following claims.Further, it will be apparent to those of skill in the art that numerouschanges may be made in such details without departing from the spiritand the principles of the disclosure. It should be appreciated that thepresent disclosure is capable of being embodied in other forms withoutdeparting from its essential characteristics.

What is claimed is:
 1. A shoe last for forming a shoe, comprising: abody comprising a heel region including a surface and a sole surface,the sole surface comprising at least three distinct planar surfaces, thethree distinct planar surface comprising: a toe box portion; a heelportion; and an arch support portion positioned between the toe boxportion and the heel portion, wherein the heel region and the heelportion of the sole surface define a first angle therebetween, thesurface of heel region and the arch support portion defining a secondangle therebetween, the surface of the heel portion and the arch supportportion defining a third angle therebetween, the second and the thirdangles being different, and wherein the heel portion of the sole surfacehas a concave shape.
 2. The shoe last of claim 1, wherein: the toe box,heel, and arch support portions each includes a surface, the surfacesbeing on different, non-parallel planes.
 3. The shoe last of claim 1,wherein: the concave shape of the heel portion of the sole includes anapex, the apex being spaced apart from the surface of the heel region bya distance, the distance being between 3-8 millimeters inclusive.
 4. Theshoe last of claim 3, wherein: the distance is about 5 millimeters. 5.The shoe last of claim 1, wherein: the arch support region extends fromthe heel portion to the toe box portion of the sole surface, a firsttransverse arch is formed on the sole surface proximate to the toe boxportion, a second transverse arch is formed on the sole surfaceproximate the heel portion, and the first and second transverse archessmoothly transition toward the toe box portions and the heel portionsrespectively in a continuous curve free from any angled edges.
 6. Theshoe last of claim 1, wherein: the sole surface has a thickness that issubstantially uniform along its length.
 7. The shoe last of claim 1,wherein the sole surface is smoothly contoured and is free from sharpedges.
 8. The shoe last of claim 1, wherein: the arch support portion isconfigured as a concave region with respect to an upper portion of theshoe last.
 9. The shoe last of claim 1, wherein: the transition betweenthe toe box and the arch support portion is smooth.
 10. The shoe last ofclaim 1, wherein the depths of the toe box and heel portions areapproximately equal.
 11. The shoe last of claim 1, wherein: when worn, auser's body weight is concentrated at the heal portion of said shoe. 12.The shoe last of claim 1, wherein: the shoe is configured to accommodatea foot having a heel and a ball, and wherein when worn the shoe isconfigured to redistribute pressure away from the ball of the foottoward the heel of the foot.
 13. The shoe last of claim 1, wherein: theconcave shape of the heel portion of the sole surface of the solesurface of the shoe last has a depth that varies between 0 and 5millimeters inclusive.
 14. The shoe last of claim 1, wherein: the heelregion of the shoe defines a cup-shaped heal rest that is configured toredistribute pressure applied to the sole surface of the shoe toward theheal region of the shoe.
 15. A method of manufacturing a shoe,comprising: providing a shoe last, comprising: a body comprising a heelregion including a surface and a sole surface, the sole surfacecomprising at least three distinct planar surfaces, the three distinctplanar surface comprising: a toe box portion; a heel portion; and anarch support portion positioned between the toe box portion and the heelportion, wherein the heel region and the heel portion of the solesurface define a first angle therebetween, the surface of heel regionand the arch support portion defining a second angle therebetween, thesurface of the heel portion and the arch support portion defining athird angle therebetween, the second and the third angles beingdifferent, and wherein the heel portion of the sole surface has aconcave shape; and forming a shoe by joining portions of the shoe aroundan exterior of the body of the shoe last, wherein the shoe includes asole surface that is free from angled edges and includes a toe boxportion, a heel portion, and an arch support portion, and wherein theheel portion defines a convex shape that corresponds to the concavity ofthe heel portion of the sole surface of the shoe last.
 16. The method ofclaim 15, wherein: when worn, body weight is concentrated at the heelportion of the shoe.
 17. The method of claim 15, wherein: the shoe isconfigured to accommodate a foot having a heel and a ball, and whereinwhen worn the shoe is configured to redistribute pressure away from theball of the foot toward the heel of the foot.
 18. The method of claim15, wherein: the concave shape of the heel portion of the sole surfaceof the shoe last has a depth that varies between 0 and 5 millimetersinclusive.
 19. The method of claim 15, wherein: the heel region of theshoe defines a cup-shaped heel rest that is configured to redistributepressure applied to the sole surface of the shoe toward the heal regionof the shoe.
 20. The method of claim 19, wherein: the heel rest has adepth between 2 and 8 millimeters inclusive.
 21. The method of claim 19,wherein: the heel rest has a depth of about 5 millimeters.
 22. Themethod of claim 15, wherein: the sole surface has a thickness that issubstantially uniform along its length.
 23. The method of claim 15,wherein: the toe box, heel, and arch support portions each includes asurface, the surfaces being on different, non-parallel planes.
 24. Themethod of claim 15, wherein: the sole surface of the shoe is formed froma pliable material.